Fishing GNP is a lot of fun. The grizzlies in GNP are much less habituated than the YNP bears, but I'd still put my bear-aware radar up and keep it up.

Many of the streams and lakes in GNP are oligotrophic - nutrient poor. So the fish are on the small side, but those Westslope Cutties are a lot of fun and there are plenty of them willing to take a fly.

Keep in mind there are many things to do in GNP including going on a horseback ride with your family. The corral for this ride is across the road from the Many Glacier Hotel.

Just heard that GNP brochures are now recommending carrying a sidearm in the back country. Have not confirmed this, though. Anyone?

Personally, even bear spray is useless if you don't practice the ol` fast draw/fast deploy. A charging sow at 30 yards will be on you before you can get either out if you're not skilled in it's use. This is why double rifles were created. Think shotgun, but it has to fit. Lots to be said for the H&H .700 Nitro Express double rifle, with 1000 grains in each tube. The charging bear is the least of your worries if you touch that baby off, even though you needn't hit the bear. The shock wave of the passing "naval ordnance" would be enough to turn him into jelly!

If the reason for recommending a sidearm in the back country is grizzly bears, then the recommendation should include what type sidearm. After reading everything I could on the subject, the expert advice distills down to anything less than .44 mag is a poor choice. I guess .357 etc. just make bears mad when they are shot with them. Still seems like an odd recommendation, if true.

Last I heard, ADF&G still recommends NOT shooting bears because that typically results in a mad bear. Pepper spray and noise makers are recommended over shooting because shooting bears only works if a lethal shot is fired (with a .44 mag or larger). And lethal shots are difficult at close range fast moving targets, like charging bears, and few people have actually been successful at this. I did read of one hunter who successfully saved his partner by making a close range lethal shot with his .44 mag sidearm. One.

The .700 Nitro would be comforting, but seriously, who would carry it? All types of bear "gear" is useless if you don't or can't effectively deploy it. That's why I keep a whistle on a lanyard around my neck. Much faster to start making noise with that than unholstering either bear spray or .44, let alone a .700 double gun, assuming one doesn't backpack all day long with it at the ready with thumb on the safety.

If the reason for recommending a sidearm in the back country is grizzly bears, then the recommendation should include what type sidearm. After reading everything I could on the subject, the expert advice distills down to anything less than .44 mag is a poor choice.

The .700 Nitro would be comforting, but seriously, who would carry it? All types of bear "gear" is useless if you don't or can't effectively deploy it. That's why I keep a whistle on a lanyard around my neck. Much faster to start making noise with that than unholstering either bear spray or .44, let alone a .700 double gun, assuming one doesn't backpack all day long with it at the ready with thumb on the safety.

Sg

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SG, you are sooo right on target here! Even the spray is worthless if you haven't practiced repeatedly to deploy the stuff! I've never heard of anyone putting in the time with the spray to make sure the muscle memory works. But the .700, now that's different. You have this ritual you go through: call for the gun bearer, who hands you the rifle, adjust your old school tie and make sure the cuffs of your tattersall shirt are at just the right length, shoulder the firearm, discharge same, and instantly teleport what's left of your shoulder to the next county... Gotta love the imagination of those Brits!

We were supposed to leave Monday morning. Then I'm told we should leave when I get home from work Friday. I left for work ready. No one else got ready. Now we are to leave early today. It is now almost 7 PM and we are now ready for me to start the drive.

Crap.

Maybe we make it to snoqumie pass or Ellensburg and I get to set up camp in the dark.

Anyone interested in meeting my clan along the way, shoot me a message. We are planning a slow and fragmented trip with some fun along the way, not really arriving at glacier until Monday or Tuesday.

Now we are having pizza and movie night and rolling out in the morning.

Bill might make a stop in Moses Lake.

Hoped to leave this afternoon and fish the evening hatch on the Yakima, no dice. Tomorrows plan will be to get to Spokebekistan. Might spend the night there, family member deal on a room. Despite my fussing, it is nice to have meandering plans and not be on too tight a schedule.